Six Ballads About King Arthur - The Marriage of King Arthur

THE MARRIAGE OF KING ARTHUR.

Then happed it on Allhallowmas,
That Bors, the King of Gaul,
And Ban of Benwick, over seas,
Came at King Arthur's call.

They came with full three hundred knights,
All chosen, brave, and true,
To vanquish Arthur's enemies
Who fierce and fiercer grew.

And while they kept high festival
Beneathen cloth of gold,
A thrall came riding in hot haste
And woful tidings told;

How that King Ryence of North Wales
Had gone with sword and lance
From out his mountain fastnesses
'Gainst King Leodogrance.

Now Arthur loved this king for aid
In war, and friendly troth,
But hated Ryence of North Wales,
So at this news was wroth.

King Bors and Ban made ready then
Their chivalry from France,
And all the country rose in arms
To aid Leodogrance.

Full twenty thousand men-at-arms
Rode with King Arthur hard,
Until within six days they reached
The towers of Cameliard.

And then and there the mighty host
Engaged in dreadful fight,
They slaughtered twice five thousand souls
And put Ryence to flight.

'Twas then King Arthur first beheld
The lovely Guinever,
The King's fair daughter -- ever since
He loved but only her.

When that the kingdom freedom gat
From wars and jealous strife,
The barons begged King Arthur then
To wed a loving wife.

With Merlin too was counsel ta'en,
Who deemed it good and wise,
And asked the King if any maid
Found favour in his eyes.

Then answered Arthur, 'There is one,
I deem her passing fair,
The daughter of my trusty friend,
The lovely Guinever.

'To him my father gave a prize
I value more than gold,
The huge Round Table at whose board
Sate knights a hundred told

'And fifty more.' 'Sir,' Merlin said,
'I grant you passing well,
For beauty and for fairness too
No maid can her excel.

'But an ye loved her not, I could
Another damsel find,
Whose beauty and whose goodness should
Be equal in your mind.

'But 'tis not meet a man should wed
Where he can feel no love;
For where his heart is set, he will
Be quick his feet to move.'

'Ah! that is true,' the King replied,
Nor list what Merlin said,
How grief and sorrow would ensue
If he the maid should wed,

But sent him to Leodogrance,
In goodly company,
To plead his suit, and ask the King
What might his pleasure be?

Leodogrance was overjoyed
To welcome Merlin's suite,
Exclaiming that it pleased him well
Arthur's demands to meet.

But said, 'What can I proffer him
With Guinever for dower?
For gold and land he does not lack,
He has such ample store.

'But I the huge Round Table have,
Uther Pendragon gave
To me is trusted friend, and that
His son shall gladly have.

'Alack for hap and woful change!
Full many a gallant knight
Who sate thereat has perished since,
Slain in the bloody fight.

'But still a hundred knights remain,
My faithful bodyguard;
They shall escort my daughter when
She leaveth Cameliard.'

So Merlin, knights, and Guinever
Journeyed by land and sea,
Till they came nigh to London town,
A goodly company.

Then did King Arthur joy to see
The cavalcade arrive,
Bearing the Table that he prized
And Guinever to wive.

He spake out openly and loud,
'This maid I long have loved,
And more than land or precious gold
These gifts my heart have moved.

'For nothing is so lief to me
As Guinever the fair;
To wed her, and to crown her queen,
We quickly will prepare.

'Let Merlin search through all the land
If fifty knights be found,
To fill the places vacant left
Beside the Table Round.'

But only eight-and-twenty knights
Of prowess and good fame
Could Merlin find to fill the seats.
Then Canterbury came --

He came with pomp right royally
To bless the seats in state;
Upon each chair, the while he prayed,
The eight-and-twenty sate.

When they arose and homage paid
To Arthur, as was fit,
Were golden letters found on each,
Telling who there should sit.

But two were void, and so anon
Came riding young Gawaine,
To beg the king to dub him knight,
Nor did he beg in vain

Then forthwithal a poor man came,
And with him his fair son:
'Oh, where shall I King Arthur find?'
He questioned every one.

'Yonder he stands -- what wilt with him?'
Down on his bended knee
He dropped and said, 'O blessed King!
O flower of chivalry!

'May Jesu save thee! here I come
A humble suppliant,
Hearing that on your wedding-day
Ye any boon would grant.

'Sir, I have thirteen stalwart sons,
Who labour all the year,
And do my bidding passing well;
But this thou seest here

'Will nothing do but bend the bow,
And cast the dart afar;
He loves to watch the feasts and games,
And mix where battles are.

'Make him, my King, a gallant knight.'
' 'Tis sooner said than done,'
Arthur replied; but all the while
He watchèd well the son,

And found that he fair-visaged was,
And passingly well made.
'What is thy name, and where thy sword?'
He to the young man said.

'My name is Tor, and here is my sword.'
'Unsheath it and alight.'
The youth leaped from his meagre steed,
Kneeling in Arthur's sight.

'Oh make me, sir, a knight, I pray,
Knight of the Table Round!'
Smiting him on the neck with sword,
'May'st thou be ever found,'

King Arthur said, 'I pray to God,
A good knight and a true!
But to be knight of Table Round
Lacks worth and prowess too.'

And then there happed a wondrous sight;
For when the King was wed
All solemnly at Camelot,
And the high feast was made,

By Merlin's order every knight
Sat silent, one and all,
Each in his siege in solemn state
Within the banquet hall.

Till, as the portals open flew,
Rushed in a hart milk-white,
A snow-white brachet followed on,
And then, O wondrous sight!

Twice thirty coal-black hounds pursued
The hart with yell and cry,
And when the brachet wounded her
She moanèd piteously,

And gave a sudden bound that threw
One knight upon the ground,
Wherefrom he soon arose and seized
By force the snow white hound.

Quick out of hall, he leaped to horse,
Bearing his prize away,
Riding as if for life and death,
That no man could him stay.

Anon there came on palfrey white
A lady fair and gay,
Who begged the King to give her back
Her brachet stolen away.

That can I not,' said Arthur. Then
A knight in full array
Came riding in, armed cap-a-pie
And bore the maid away.

By force he snatched her that she made
Such dole with shriek and cry,
That all within the banquet hall
Rejoiced to see them fly.

Then Merlin spake: 'Ye may not treat
These shames as poor and slight,
Else much disworship will arise
To King and every knight

'Belonging to the Table Round;
But order noble men,
Gawaine, and Pellinore, and Tor,
To fetch them back again.'

'That will I,' said the King. 'Gawaine,
Bring back the milk-white hart.
To you, King Pellinore, behoves
To play a nobler part:

'The Knight and Lady you shall meet
In war and fearful strife;
Bring them again before this court,
Or sacrifice their life.

'And you, Sir Tor, your valour test,
And knightly honour gain,
For bringing back the brachet white
Within this hall again.'

It little boots me now to tell
How each one's work was sped;
Suffice it that they all returned
Their task accomplishèd.

Then Arthur stablished all the knights;
To such as were too poor
He granted lands and tenements
Dividing up his store.

And solemnly he charged them all
No outrage e'er to do,
Murder, cruelty, and vice,
And treason to eschew.

He said, 'To him that asketh you
Mercy and pardon give,
Under the ban of forfeiting
My service while ye live;

'The penalty of death be yours,
If damsels in distress
Or gentlewomen plead in vain
For succour or redress.

'And let no man for worldly goods,
Or lands, or sordid pelf,
In wrongful quarrel battle make
Or glorify himself.

'Swear,' said King Arthur -- every knight
Uprose to do his will --
'Swear faithfully and loyally
My precepts to fulfil.'

'Twas done -- in every future year,
As Pentecost came by,
King Arthur's knights were bound by oath
To truth and chivalry.

And thus was stablished in our land
Honour and loyalty;
Long may they last, nor ever fail
Till time itself shall die!